Union health minister J P Nadda to lead yoga session at WHO conference

COLOMBO: Taking cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote yoga on the global stage, Union health minister J P Nadda is set to lead a 45-minute yoga session on Wednesday at an international conference in Sri Lanka organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Health ministers, leaders and experts from at least 11 countries, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand, will participate and do yoga during the session titled ‘Be The Change’.

This is the first time that such a session is being organised by the UN agency during its annual regional meeting, which takes place every year to discuss health conditions across the south-east Asia region and review ongoing programmes.

In September 2014, in his first address to the UN General Assembly, Modi had pitched for adoption of an International Day of Yoga. Following his proposal, the UNGA adopted a resolution in December that year declaring June 21 as ‘International Day of Yoga’.

Since then, the Ayush ministry and the health ministry have given a huge push to promote yoga within India as well as overseas. The government has also initiated programmes and schemes to support yoga instructors, teachers and institutions. Besides holding the yoga session, Nadda will share and discuss plans to promote yoga further and to carry out more scientific studies in collaboration with other countries .